Electrical boxes are typically used in residential, commercial and industrial construction environments to provide accessibility to and control of electrical service. Electrical boxes are mounted to studs, and walls are then formed in front of the studs that are generally substantially flush with the front of the electrical box. Electrical wires are run into the interior of the electrical box from behind the wall to provide electrical service. Faceplates secured to the front of the electrical boxes provide access to the interior wires of the electrical box from in front of the formed wall.
One problem with existing electrical boxes is the inability of the installer to use either nails or screws to mount the electrical box to the stud. Existing electrical boxes can accept only screws or only nails, not both. An installer has no choice regarding how to mount the electrical box to the stud as the correct fastener for which the box was manufactured must be used. Therefore, the installer must ensure he has the proper fasteners for the electrical boxes to be installed, or the electrical boxes cannot be installed correctly. Existing electrical boxes that accept only one type of fastener increase the required inventory for installers that want to be able to mount electrical boxes with either screws or nails, as both types of electrical boxes must be available. Additionally, requiring the installer to ensure the correct fastener is available for installation of the existing electrical boxes is inefficient and increases the time required to complete the installation process. A need exists for an electrical box that is adapted to receive either screws or nails.
Another problem with existing electrical boxes is that the installer must locate the required mounting fasteners to mount the electrical boxes to the studs. The mounting fasteners are often lost or separated from the electrical boxes prior to mounting the electrical boxes, thereby increasing the installation time required to mount the electrical boxes. A need exists for an electrical box having screw and nail supports that allows screws and nails to be securely attached to the electrical box, and further preventing accidental removal of the screws and nails from the electrical box.
A need exists for an electrical box that is adapted to receive either screws or nails to mount the electrical box to a stud.